Italian great Sensini one of seven inductees into International Sailing Federation Hall of Fame

Italy's Alessandra Sensini was inducted by ISAF President Carlo Croce ©ISAF

Italian windsurfing great Alessandra Sensini was one of seven sailors to be inducted into the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Hall of Fame during the governing body’s 2015 Annual Conference in Sanya, China.

Sensini is the most decorated female sailor in Olympic history having claimed gold in the mistral class at Sydney 2000, as well as a silver in the RS:X class at Beijing 2008 and bronze medals at Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004.

The four-time world champion also competed in the Lechner A-390 class during her illustrious career and was presented with her unique blue World Sailing logo pennant, which only inductees to the Hall of Fame receive, in Sanya.

“Some years ago I received the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award and that was amazing for me, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is totally unexpected,” Sensini said.

"I want to thank ISAF President Carlo Croce because after I stopped competing he brought me into the Italian Federation to support and promote Youth Sailing and the new generation.

“I hope that I will be able to inspire the new generation and pass on my knowledge in the sport of sailing.”

Brazil’s Torben Grael, who alongside his compatriot Robert Scheidt and Britain’s Sir Ben Ainslie are the only sailors to have won five Olympic medals, was also inducted in recognition of a career which has included wins at the Volvo Ocean Race and the Louis Vuitton Cup.

The double Olympic champion was joined by America’s Buddy Melges, with his family’s boat building company credited with having a large impact on modern sailing.

Melges also triumphed in the soling class at the Munich 1972 Olympics, and the multiple world champion holds the record for being the oldest helmsman to win the America’s Cup, taking victory at the age of 62 in 1992.

Dennis Conner, known as “Mr America’s Cup" due to his work turning the competition into a professional event in addition to winning the race on four occasions during a career which also included an Olympic bronze medal and 28 World Championship titles, was also inducted.

Three-time America’s Cup J-class winner Harold Vanderbilt was one of three sailors posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the American’s efforts in developing and promoting a set of racing rules which ultimately led to the 1960 Racing Rules of Sailing being adopted one of the key reasons for his inclusion.

Sir Peter Blake, who was killed in a pirate attack on the Amazon River in 2001 where he was trying to promote environmental protection, was inducted having claimed several prestigious titles during his glittering career.

Sir Peter led New Zealand to two America’s Cup titles, as well as winning the Whitbread Round the World Race.

He also claimed the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest sailing time around the world.

Having been the only sailor to date to claim Olympic gold in three different classes, Ukraine-born Valentin Mankin completed the seven sailing legends for the 2015 intake into the Hall of Fame.

The inductees join Olin Stephens, Dame Ellen Macarthur, Paul Elvström, Barbara Kendall, Eric Tabarly and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who were entered into the Hall of Fame when it was introduced in 2007 to mark the ISAF centenary year.